Jaguar and Pinarello unveil aerodynamic Dogma F8 bike for Team Sky

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Jaguar is an official sponsor of Team Sky, and it just has announced that the British professional cycling team will race a new, fancy, and more aerodynamic Pinarello bicycle for the remainder of the 2014 season.

Since the team’s creation in 2010, Jaguar has been a sponsor of Team Sky and its several successful seasons including historic back-to-back Tour de France victories and the first ever Tour de France victory by a British cycling team. And now the luxury and sports car manufacturer has partnered with Italian bike manufacturer Pinarello to develop a new racing bike for Team Sky. It's called the Pinarello Dogma F8 bicycle, and it'll replace the acclaimed Dogma 65.1.

"This is the first time Jaguar's comprehensive technical capability has been used by the team, and marks the beginning of a new collaborative relationship between Jaguar, Team Sky and its family of partners and suppliers, including legendary frame manufacturer Pinarello. Jaguar is now an official 'innovation partner' with Team Sky," announced Jaguar in a release.

The Dogma F8's first race will be the Critérium du Dauphiné on 8 June. It will also have a major test on the Tour de France in Leeds on 5 July. Jaguar said it helped give Pinarello's new bicycle frame "even better aerodynamic performance" by fixing "hard points" such as wheelbase and geometry determined by Pinarello's designers. Jaguar's engineers even developed the frame to "improve the aerodynamics of the tube profiles", among other things.

"Aero-led changes include aerofoil-shaped tubing optimised within UCI regulations, and a new aero seat post," Jaguar explained." The Dogma F8's front forks have been developed to minimise drag and ensure seamless airflow on to the down tube. The rear derailleur wire/cable exits the frame at the back of the drop out, again to reduce turbulence. Three holes on the seat tube allow for a lower position for a second drink bottle, to further reduce drag."

Wind tunnel tests revealed the Dogma F8 bike is 26.1 per cent more aerodynamic than its predecessor bike, the Dogma 65.1. With the rider, it is 6.4 per cent more aerodynamic. As for Pinarello's implementations on the new bike, it wanted to "maintain handling, reduce weight, and improve the stiffness and aerodynamics." The company also reduced weight by 9 per cent - thanks to a "better grade" of Torayca T11001K carbon fibre from supplier Toray.

You can learn more about the Pinarello Dogma F8 bicycle in the video above.